1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a headlamp for a vehicle which is provided with an extension for covering a clearance between a lamp body and a lighting unit.
2. Background Art
In a headlamp for a vehicle, generally, a lighting unit is accommodated in a lamp body in such a manner that an irradiating angle can be regulated through an aiming mechanism (for example, see Patent Document 1).
As shown in FIG. 6, in a conventional headlamp 1 for a vehicle, a lighting unit 9 is accommodated in a lighting chamber 7 formed by a lamp body 3 and a translucent cover 5 attached to an opening portion on a front end thereof. The lighting unit 9 has an optical axis Ax extended in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and is supported in the lamp body 3 to be tiltable invertical and transverse directions through an aiming mechanism 11.
An extension 13 is provided in the lighting chamber 7 along a periphery of the translucent cover 5. The extension 13 is provided with an opening portion 15 for surrounding the lighting unit 9 in the vicinity of a front end thereof.
The lighting unit 9 is of a projector type and includes a light source bulb 17, a reflector 19, a lens holder 21, a projection lens 23, and a shade 25. The projection lens 23 is constituted as a planoconvex lens in which a forward side surface 23a is a convex curved surface and a rear side surface 23b is a plane, and is disposed on the optical axis Ax. The projection lens 23 serves to forward project, as an inverted image, an image on a focal plane including a focal point F on a rear side thereof.
The reflector 19 is supported in the lamp body 3 through the aiming mechanism 11 by an aiming bracket 27. The reflector 19 has a reflecting plane 19a for reflecting a light emitted from a light source forward close to the optical axis Ax.
The shade 25 is fixed and supported on the lens holder 21 so as to be positioned in an almost lower half part in an internal space of the lens holder 21 and serves to shield a part of a light reflected by the reflector 19 and to remove most of an upward light emitted forward from the projection lens 23.
The headlamp 1 for a vehicle can regulate an irradiating angle of the lighting unit 9. Therefore, a clearance is present between the lamp body 3 and the lighting unit 9. The extension 13 is provided in such a manner that the clearance is not visually recognized from outside. Conventionally, the extension 13 has the opening portion 15 in a central part, and is integrally molded by a resin material and is thus constituted by one sheet. Moreover, a bright treatment, such as an aluminum evaporation, is carried out to have continuity with respect to the design of the reflector 19.
[Patent Document 1] JP-A-2006-49189 Publication